. >> john boehner is listening to the future, he's listening to his party -- >> reporter: they want a deal. >> they want a deal. do you think the republicans are listening to the brains out like this like kristol and other thinkers, do you think they're willing to say we've been to prejudice to the rich. this is one of the areas they will say you won the battle. we won't keep fighting for the rich. >> reporter: here's what i can tell you. when you talk to leadership and do reporting on that, they want a deal. they're ready for a deal. and they're not that far off. the problem is, can you find a minimum -- let's just say a minimum of 35 house republicans who can commit themselves to voting for a raise of tax rates. it would be and could be primary suicide for those 35 republicans. because we know these gerrymander districts. this is not about swing districts anymore. that's the problem boehner had. if boehner had 35 safe republicans, safe from a primary challenge, safe from somebody from the right on taxes, i think this deal would have happened even a lot sooner. they might have gone a